Old Brownbie, as he was usually called, was a squatter¹ also, but a squatter of a class very different from that to which Heathcote belonged. He had begun his life in the colonies a little under a cloud, having been sent out from home after the perpetration of some peccadillo² of which the law had disapproved³.

In colonial phrase, he was a “lag”— having been transported; but this was many years ago, when he was quite young; and he had now been a free man for more than thirty years. It must be owned on his behalf that he had worked hard, had endeavored to rise, and had risen. But there still stuck to him the savor⁴ of his old life. Every one knew that he had been a convict; and even had he become a man of high principle — a condition which he certainly never achieved — he could hardly have escaped altogether from the thralldom of his degradation⁵. He had been a butcher, a drover, part owner of stock, and had at last become possessed⁶ of a share of a cattle-run, and then of the entire property, such as it was. He had four or five sons, uneducated, ill-conditioned, drunken fellows, who had all their father’s faults without his energy, some of whom had been in prison, and all of whom were known as pests to the colony. Their place was called Boolabong, and was a cattle-run, as distinguished⁸ from a sheep-run; but it was a poor place, was sometimes altogether unstocked, and was supposed to be not unfrequently used as a receptable for stolen cattle.

The tricks which the Brownbies played with cattle were notorious throughout Queensland and New South Wales, and by a certain class of men were much admired. They would drive a few head of cattle, perhaps forty or fifty, for miles around the country, across one station and another, traveling many hundreds of miles, and here and there, as they passed along, they would sweep into their own herd

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1 squatter
n.擅自占地者
参考例句：
The squatter settlements originally came into being through illegal land invasions. 违章建筑区最初是通过非法的土地占有而形成的。 Squatter control is maintained by regular patrols and hut-to-hut checks. 当局定期逐户视察所有寮屋，以收管制之效。

2 peccadillo
n.轻罪，小过失
参考例句：
For this peccadillo he was demoted and sent back to pound the beat.由于这次过失,他被降了级,又被打发去干徒步巡警了。 A fine of ￡5000 is swinging for such a peccadillo.这样的一个小过失，罚款5000英镑太多了吧。

3 disapproved
v.不赞成( disapprove的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
My parents disapproved of my marriage. 我父母不赞成我的婚事。 来自《简明英汉词典》 She disapproved of her son's indiscriminate television viewing. 她不赞成儿子不加选择地收看电视。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 savor
vt.品尝，欣赏；n.味道，风味；情趣，趣味
参考例句：
The soup has a savor of onion.这汤有洋葱味。 His humorous remarks added a savor to our conversation.他幽默的话语给谈话增添了风趣。

5 degradation
n.降级；低落；退化；陵削；降解；衰变
参考例句：
There are serious problems of land degradation in some arid zones.在一些干旱地带存在严重的土地退化问题。 Gambling is always coupled with degradation.赌博总是与堕落相联系。

6 possessed
adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的
参考例句：
He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。 He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

7 ken
n.视野，知识领域
参考例句：
Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。 Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

8 distinguished
adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的
参考例句：
Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。 A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

9 herd
n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起
参考例句：
She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。 He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

10 prey
n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨
参考例句：
Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。 The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

11 erratic
adj.古怪的，反复无常的，不稳定的
参考例句：
The old man had always been cranky and erratic.那老头儿性情古怪,反复无常。 The erratic fluctuation of market prices is in consequence of unstable economy.经济波动致使市场物价忽起忽落。

12 preyed
v.掠食( prey的过去式和过去分词 )；掠食；折磨；（人）靠欺诈为生
参考例句：
Remorse preyed upon his mind. 悔恨使他内心痛苦。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 He had been unwise and it preyed on his conscience. 他做得不太明智，这一直让他良心不安。 来自辞典例句

13 persecute
vt.迫害，虐待；纠缠，骚扰
参考例句：
They persecute those who do not conform to their ideas.他们迫害那些不信奉他们思想的人。 Hitler's undisguised effort to persecute the Jews met with worldwide condemnation.希特勒对犹太人的露骨迫害行为遭到世界人民的谴责。

14 scrupulous
adj.审慎的，小心翼翼的，完全的，纯粹的
参考例句：
She is scrupulous to a degree.她非常谨慎。 Poets are not so scrupulous as you are.诗人并不像你那样顾虑多。

15 harry
vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼
参考例句：
Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。 Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

16 utterly
adv.完全地，绝对地
参考例句：
Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。 I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

17 abominable
adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的
参考例句：
Their cruel treatment of prisoners was abominable.他们虐待犯人的做法令人厌恶。 The sanitary conditions in this restaurant are abominable.这家饭馆的卫生状况糟透了。

18 extirpate
v.除尽，灭绝
参考例句：
The country must extirpate the evils of drug abuse.这个国家必须根除毒品泛滥的罪恶。 St. augustine knew how to use severity to extirpate the heresy.圣奥古斯丁知道如何使用的严重性消灭的异端邪说。

19 rascals
流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人
参考例句：
"Oh, but I like rascals. "唔，不过我喜欢流氓。 "They're all second-raters, black sheep, rascals. "他们都是二流人物，是流氓，是恶棍。

20 exterminated
v.消灭，根绝( exterminate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
It was exterminated root and branch. 它被彻底剪除了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 The insects can be exterminated by spraying DDT. 可以用喷撒滴滴涕的方法大量杀死这种昆虫。 来自《用法词典》

21 intimacies
亲密( intimacy的名词复数 )； 密切； 亲昵的言行； 性行为
参考例句：
He is exchanging intimacies with his friends. 他正在和密友们亲切地交谈。 The stiffness of the meeting soon gave way before their popular manners and more diffused intimacies. 他们的洒脱不羁和亲密气氛的增加很快驱散了会场上的拘谨。

22 seduce
vt.勾引，诱奸，诱惑，引诱
参考例句：
She has set out to seduce Stephen.她已经开始勾引斯蒂芬了。 Clever advertising would seduce more people into smoking.巧妙策划的广告会引诱更多的人吸烟。

23 bishop
n.主教，（国际象棋）象
参考例句：
He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。 Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。

24 cub
n.幼兽，年轻无经验的人
参考例句：
The lion cub's mother was hunting for what she needs. 这只幼师的母亲正在捕猎。 The cub licked the milk from its mother's breast. 这头幼兽吸吮着它妈妈的奶水。

25 obsolete
adj.已废弃的，过时的
参考例句：
These goods are obsolete and will not fetch much on the market.这些货品过时了，在市场上卖不了高价。 They tried to hammer obsolete ideas into the young people's heads.他们竭力把陈旧思想灌输给青年。

26 tenant
n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用
参考例句：
The tenant was dispossessed for not paying his rent.那名房客因未付房租而被赶走。 The tenant is responsible for all repairs to the building.租户负责对房屋的所有修理。

27 eldest
adj.最年长的，最年老的
参考例句：
The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。 The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。

28 jack
n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克
参考例句：
I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。 He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

29 stanch
v.止住（血等）；adj.坚固的；坚定的
参考例句：
Cuttlebone can be used as a medicine to stanch bleeding.海螵蛸可以入药，用来止血。 I thought it my duty to help stanch these leaks.我认为帮助堵塞漏洞是我的职责。

30 depressed
adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的
参考例句：
When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。 His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

31 veranda
n.走廊；阳台
参考例句：
She sat in the shade on the veranda.她坐在阳台上的遮荫处。 They were strolling up and down the veranda.他们在走廊上来回徜徉。

32 stuffy
adj.不透气的，闷热的
参考例句：
It's really hot and stuffy in here.这里实在太热太闷了。 It was so stuffy in the tent that we could sense the air was heavy with moisture.帐篷里很闷热，我们感到空气都是潮的。

33 propped
支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He sat propped up in the bed by pillows. 他靠着枕头坐在床上。 This fence should be propped up. 这栅栏该用东西支一支。

34 exterior
adj.外部的，外在的；表面的
参考例句：
The seed has a hard exterior covering.这种子外壳很硬。 We are painting the exterior wall of the house.我们正在给房子的外墙涂漆。

35 chamber
n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所
参考例句：
For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。 The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

36 miserable
adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的
参考例句：
It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。 Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

37 scorching
adj. 灼热的
参考例句：
a scorching, pitiless sun 灼热的骄阳 a scorching critique of the government's economic policy 对政府经济政策的严厉批评

38 inflicted
把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
They inflicted a humiliating defeat on the home team. 他们使主队吃了一场很没面子的败仗。 Zoya heroically bore the torture that the Fascists inflicted upon her. 卓娅英勇地承受法西斯匪徒加在她身上的酷刑。

39 flayed
v.痛打( flay的过去式和过去分词 )；把…打得皮开肉绽；剥（通常指动物）的皮；严厉批评
参考例句：
He was so angry he nearly flayed his horse alive. 他气得几乎把马活活抽死。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The teacher flayed the idle students. 老师严责那些懒惰的学生。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

40 dispensed
v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 )；施与；配（药）
参考例句：
Not a single one of these conditions can be dispensed with. 这些条件缺一不可。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 They dispensed new clothes to the children in the orphanage. 他们把新衣服发给孤儿院的小孩们。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

41 plunder
vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠
参考例句：
The thieves hid their plunder in the cave.贼把赃物藏在山洞里。 Trade should not serve as a means of economic plunder.贸易不应当成为经济掠夺的手段。

42 animation
n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作
参考例句：
They are full of animation as they talked about their childhood.当他们谈及童年的往事时都非常兴奋。 The animation of China made a great progress.中国的卡通片制作取得很大发展。

43 interfered
v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉
参考例句：
Complete absorption in sports interfered with his studies. 专注于运动妨碍了他的学业。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I am not going to be interfered with. 我不想别人干扰我的事情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

44 slumbers
睡眠，安眠( slumber的名词复数 )
参考例句：
His image traversed constantly her restless slumbers. 他的形象一再闯进她的脑海，弄得她不能安睡。 My Titan brother slumbers deep inside his mountain prison. Go. 我的泰坦兄弟就被囚禁在山脉的深处。

45 impudence
n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼
参考例句：
His impudence provoked her into slapping his face.他的粗暴让她气愤地给了他一耳光。 What knocks me is his impudence.他的厚颜无耻使我感到吃惊。

46 grunted
（猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说
参考例句：
She just grunted, not deigning to look up from the page. 她只咕哝了一声，继续看书，不屑抬起头来看一眼。 She grunted some incomprehensible reply. 她咕噜着回答了些令人费解的话。

47 begrudged
嫉妒( begrudge的过去式和过去分词 )； 勉强做； 不乐意地付出； 吝惜
参考例句：
She begrudged her friend the award. 她嫉妒她的朋友获奖。 Joey, you talk as if I begrudged it to you. 乔艾，你这话竟象是我小气，舍不得给你似的。

48 axe
n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减
参考例句：
Be careful with that sharp axe.那把斧子很锋利，你要当心。 The edge of this axe has turned.这把斧子卷了刃了。

49 parched
adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干
参考例句：
Hot winds parched the crops.热风使庄稼干透了。 The land in this region is rather dry and parched.这片土地十分干燥。

50 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

51 modicum
n.少量，一小份
参考例句：
If he had a modicum of sense,he wouldn't do such a foolish thing.要是他稍有一点理智，他决不会做出如此愚蠢的事来。 There's not even a modicum of truth in her statement.她说的话没有一点是真的。

52 gulp
vt.吞咽，大口地吸（气）；vi.哽住；n.吞咽
参考例句：
She took down the tablets in one gulp.她把那些药片一口吞了下去。 Don't gulp your food,chew it before you swallow it.吃东西不要狼吞虎咽，要嚼碎了再咽下去。

53 wrath
n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒
参考例句：
His silence marked his wrath. 他的沉默表明了他的愤怒。 The wrath of the people is now aroused. 人们被激怒了。

54 thoroughly
adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地
参考例句：
The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。 The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

55 enticing
adj.迷人的；诱人的
参考例句：
The offer was too enticing to refuse. 这提议太有诱惑力，使人难以拒绝。 Her neck was short but rounded and her arms plump and enticing. 她的脖子短，但浑圆可爱；两臂丰腴，也很动人。

56 squatted
v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。
参考例句：
He squatted down beside the footprints and examined them closely. 他蹲在脚印旁仔细地观察。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He squatted in the grass discussing with someone. 他蹲在草地上与一个人谈话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

57 lighting
n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光
参考例句：
The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。 The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

58 flea
n.跳蚤
参考例句：
I'll put a flea in his ear if he bothers me once more.如果他再来打扰的话，我就要对他不客气了。 Hunter has an interest in prowling around a flea market.亨特对逛跳蚤市场很感兴趣。

59 standing
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。 They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

60 affected
adj.不自然的，假装的
参考例句：
She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。 His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

61 dozing
v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡
参考例句：
The economy shows no signs of faltering. 经济没有衰退的迹象。 He never falters in his determination. 他的决心从不动摇。

62 immediate
adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的
参考例句：
His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。 We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

63 retired
adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的
参考例句：
The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。 Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

64 pointed
adj.尖的，直截了当的
参考例句：
He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。 She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

65 snarling
v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说
参考例句：
"I didn't marry you," he said, in a snarling tone. “我没有娶你，"他咆哮着说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹 So he got into the shoes snarling. 于是，汤姆一边大喊大叫，一边穿上了那双鞋。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

66 allusions
暗指，间接提到( allusion的名词复数 )
参考例句：
We should not use proverbs and allusions indiscriminately. 不要滥用成语典故。 The background lent itself to allusions to European scenes. 眼前的情景容易使人联想到欧洲风光。

67 hitched
（免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上
参考例句：
They hitched a ride in a truck. 他们搭乘了一辆路过的货车。 We hitched a ride in a truck yesterday. 我们昨天顺便搭乘了一辆卡车。

68 interval
n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息
参考例句：
The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。 There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。

69 shambles
n.混乱之处；废墟
参考例句：
My room is a shambles.我房间里乱七八糟。 The fighting reduced the city to a shambles.这场战斗使这座城市成了一片废墟。

70 retraced
v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯
参考例句：
We retraced our steps to where we started. 我们折回我们出发的地方。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 We retraced our route in an attempt to get back on the right path. 我们折返，想回到正确的路上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

71 skulk
v.藏匿；潜行
参考例句：
It's a hard thing to skulk and starve in the heather.躲在树林里的挨饿不是一件好受的事。 Harry skulked off.哈里偷偷地溜走了。